A Story Within a Story
by Phoenix Potter-Malfoy
Summary: A girl relives her past when an old friend returns. Rated T just in case.
1. Chapter 1

I sat in complete silence, in the back corner, pretending that I was invisible to everyone in the class, even my friends who were sitting beside me, trying to talk to me and figure out what was going on in my head. One half of my brain was listening to the teacher but the other half was daydreaming, like it normally did, which explained why I never really got any school work done. I could hear the birds outside and the few students in the hallway slamming their lockers closed, even though the door and windows were closed. I forced the part of my brain that was daydreaming to listen to the teacher, who at that moment was explaining the difference between English 10 and English 11. While the teacher started to drone on and on, I started to remember my first year in high school.

Flash Back

'It was warm outside; the sun was shining and there were no clouds in sight, although it still made me shiver underneath my hoodie. It might have been because of the slight fall breeze that was whipping my long hair around my face, even though it was pulled into a ponytail, or maybe even because of the weird look that I had gotten from the boy who was blocking me. My gym class was playing soccer, and many members of my team were having a blast, but all that I wanted was to change back into my jeans, and be way more comfortable. I watched my team kick the soccer ball back and for the, completely ignoring me, standing there in my gym shorts and t-shirt that said "Go Team!" on it, praying that they wouldn't kick the ball in my direction, and I was extremely happy when they ran passed me and did some fancy trick before scoring. I was starting to think that was gym was taking forever to finish; however, before I could even finish my thought, the whistle was blown and the ball was given to me, the girl who couldn't play a single sport, and hated having things flying at her face. I was told to take the soccer ball to the sidelines and either kick or throw the ball back into the field, that way we could continue playing. I walked towards the sideline, hearing people whispering things behind me, as I carried the ball. I barely heard what one of the boys said as I walked by, it had to do with betting money that I would throw the ball in the wrong direction. I turned around and saw which classmates where on my team and I knew that I had to do this right; I had to help my team win. I thought for a second about how I was going to get the ball back into play and that was when I remembered watching a soccer game on TV once, and decided to try one of the tricks that I remembered seeing, briefly. I took a few steps backwards and held the ball in my hands, memorizing even single detail. The ball was red with blue and green stripes; the green stripes went all around the ball while the blue ones were only every few spots, kind of making the ball look like a basket ball instead. My team looked at me with a question in their eyes, only a fair few had ever done this trick successfully, and even fewer have even tried. I started at a run as I held the soccer ball over my head, before I flipped over using the ball to hold me up for a split second, as I started to let my feet fall towards the ground I let the ball go, before I finally landed and followed it onto the field at a dead run. One of my team-mates, who it was, I couldn't tell head-butted the ball and another, who turned out to be my best friend's boyfriend, kneed the ball and then kicked in into the net. When the ball landed in the goal I felt like I was actually having fun, my team had never seen me act this way in any gym class that they had ever been in with me, the opposite team was cheering for me, but the few guys that had been betting that I couldn't get the ball to anyone on my team, shocked and never looked away from me. After class was over I found out that my team had won, by like 10 points. I walked into the girls change room, so I could change back into my jeans.'

End flashback

I stopped remembering, suddenly like one of my friends had called my name, but they hadn't and neither had anyone else in the class room, so I did the worksheet that was sitting in front of me. I knew that as long as I didn't 'sing my praises' as everyone told me that I did often, and then I could get this done in less than five minutes. I paid complete attention to the teacher, who was droning on and on, but after a while it got boring again so I tried to finish remembering what my year was like, starting from what happened after gym that day.

Flashback

'I walked out of the gym and felt everyone watching me, especially the boy, who had been looking at me weirdly in gym. Everyone watched me as I walked down the hall and I vaguely heard someone say something, then laugh, even though I hadn't heard exactly what they had said my eyes started to burn and I knew that the tears were on their way. Suddenly he was there, pulling me gently to class. When we got there I realized that he was in English with me. I had never realized that, but that was probably because I was always sitting with my friends, ignoring everyone else, and that included the teacher. He sat behind me, not moving or saying a word. A few moments later class started and the teacher began explaining the new project that we were starting. We were to find a partner and start working on it today because it was due in two days but we were only getting one class to work on it. We worked in complete silence, while everyone was either yelling across the room, or just plain talking loudly. We seemed to know what we wanted the other to do, without saying a word, and by the end of the class our assignment was almost done, while everyone had just barely started. He walked me to my final class and when it was done, he was leaning on the wall across the hall, looking like a statue that no one really noticed. We walked out of the school in silence and I could still feel everyone staring at me, well it was more like us now that he was with me. When we got to the trail that led straight to my backyard, I expected him to continue walking and leaving me to walk into my backyard by myself, in peace, but he surprised me by walking with me to the back gate, then to the back porch. He didn't leave me alone and it was starting to scare me. My parents were out of town and our housekeeper would be out until close to five-thirty, but then she would be home and my Spaghetti would be perfect as long as I started making it soon.'

End Flashback

I looked at the clock, when I realized that the class was unusually loud. Class was over and everyone was leaving, including my friends. I packed all of my stuff up and almost ran out of class, and straight into J.J. Johnston. "Oh, crap. I'm so sorry. I wasn't watching where I was going and I didn't see you." I apologized as I bent down and picked up all of my binder and textbook, which had hit the floor when I hit J.J. "Hey it's no big deal, I wasn't watching either." He said as he bent down to help me. "Thanks. I should probably be going." I said as one of my friends called my name. "Yeah you don't want to keep your friends waiting." He said before heading towards his friends, who where standing about four feet down the hallway. I followed my friends all the way to the Cafeteria, where we sat down and I opened the bag that was holding my lunch. I picked at my food, not aware that my friends were talking about Apollo and me.


	2. Chapter 2

I was to busy trying to figure out what the feeling in the pit of my stomach meant, usually it meant that something bad was coming around the corner. I was sorely tempted to pick up my phone and call Sasha, my housekeeper and the woman who I thought as my second mother because mom and dad were usually away on a business trip so Sasha mostly raised me, but I didn't, knowing that she probably wouldn't know either. My parents were supposed to be coming home today. They were getting on the same plane at the same time as they always did. My friends distracted me until lunch was over and I had forgotten entirely about the feeling in the pit of my stomach. At least until I sat down and started my next class, which was when the feeling became way to overwhelming and I had to go and throw up in the bathroom next door. I walked slowly back to the classroom and ignored the voice in my head that kept telling me to try my mom on her phone, because I could usually get a hold of her at this point in time. I walked back to my desk, which luckily was close to the door. For the rest of my class I was trying to remember what happened after I had walked home with Apollo, the boy who saved my life.

Flashback

"Why are you following my home, or walking me home, whatever you want to call this?" I asked him as we walked into my backyard, he didn't say anything he just looked at me, as if he was trying to decide what to say. "Fine don't talk to me, but whenever you want to tell me, I'll be listening, no matter when you decide to tell me." I muttered quietly as I opened the back gate. He continued to look at me without saying a word, which was when I realized that I didn't know his name. I had heard people in the hallway calling him, the teachers called him Zachary and the people he hung out with called my Adam, but I wasn't sure which one to call him. "What is your name? I've heard every group in the school call you by a different name but I don't know which one to call you." I explained when he looked at me with a confused expression on his face. "Everyone has a different name for me but you can call me by my real name, which is Apollo." He said before looking away from me. "My name is Ariel. Your name is the same as one of the 12 Greek gods, that must be pretty cool, why doesn't anyone call you by that name?" I asked him as I walked up the stairs to my deck, and unlocked my back door, and my puppy came running at me. "Xavier, come on get off of me. I'll take you out later." I promised my two year old puppy, as I pushed him off of me and stood up, because I had been knocked to the ground when Xavier had jumped on me. Apollo looked at me as I tried to get Xavier back into the house. I gave up after five minutes of fighting and the first thing Xavier did was trot over to Apollo and sniff his leg then his hand which dangled by his side, "Apollo this is Xavier. Xavier be nice." I warned my dog, when he started to growl at Apollo. "It's not me he's growling at." Apollo explained before Xavier licked his hand, letting a small, yet loud, growl out from behind his teeth.'

End Flashback

I smiled as I remembered Apollo's face when Xavier had jumped on him only minutes later. I walked towards my class, which started in five minutes. I said hi to my friends as I passed them, making it to class with three and a half minutes to spare. I sat at my desk and started to finish my homework, which I hadn't had time to do because of my English, Physics, Chemistry and Biology homework. I was so busy trying to do my work that when the teacher called on me to answer a question I didn't hear it, and then

to make matters even worse my phone rang. "I'm sorry Mr. Matheson I didn't hear the question and only my family has my phone number for emergencies." I explained as I picked my phone out of my purse. I was extremely confused when I saw that it was the hospital calling. "Umm, I really need to take this call." I muttered but no one was even paying any attention to me, I quickly walked out of the class before answering my phone. "Hello?" "Miss Ariel Anderson?" "Yes?" "This is the hospital calling. It seems that your parents were in an accident, is there any way you can come down here? I understand that you're in class right now but we're not sure if your parents will make it or not." "I'll be right there." I promised as tears started to fall down my cheeks. I hung up my phone, almost ran back into the class, muttered to the teacher where I was going after I grabbed my stuff. I went straight to my locker; I shoved everything but my purse into my locker. I didn't even make it out of the building before I ran into something, or someone.


	3. Chapter 3

I fell as soon as I hit the object that was in my way. I looked up and grimaced inwardly as soon as I saw who I had run into, it was J.J. again. "Do you usually hit things when you're in a hurry? Or is it just lately?" J.J. asked me as he helped me up. "Lately." I muttered as I stood. "Are you alright? You look like you just finished crying." J.J. stated as I bent over to grab my purse that was still lying on the ground, where it had landed when I had fallen. "Umm that depends on your point of view, when it comes to being alright, but no I'm not alright. My parents were in an accident and they may not make it. So I'm on my way, or was before I ran into you, to the hospital to see them. If you mean from the fall then I'm fine." I said as I stood up again. "Here give me your keys; I'll take you to the hospital, that way you don't end up there as well." J.J. said, reminding me of Apollo. "It's the silver Mercedes—no wait it's the orange Lamborghini Diablo, parked by the field." I said, ignoring the surprised, yet envious, expression on his face. "You drive a Lamborghini Diablo and yet you dress, and act, like everyone else. Why?" "Because I was mostly raised by Sasha Gonzalez, our housekeeper, when my parents were away on a business trip, but when they came home, we were like a normal family and Sasha was always included." I explained as we walked towards my car. When I opened the driver's door, I noticed the look of shock on J.J.'s face. "Wow you must love cars." He assumed as soon as he saw all of the books about cars on the seats. "Yeah but these are all copies of the real ones, which I have hidden at home." I explained as I lifted my book about Ferraris off the seat. "Cool. Do you own some of these cars?" He asked as he lifted the Aston Martin book off of the backseat. "All but the Volkswagen Rabbit, that one I haven't been able to find, anywhere. Why?" "No reason, I just don't see a girl like you knowing about all of these cars." He said as he motioned to the books on Jeep Wrangler's, Volvo's, M3 Convertibles, Mercedes', the Mercedes Guard and of course the Ferrari book that I still had in my hand. "Because…?" I asked as I moved the rest of my books off of my seats. "Because you're a rich girl who doesn't need to know about cars, that's what you have your personal mechanic for. No offence meant." J.J. apologized quickly, realizing how rude he had just sounded. "Yeah well I begged my dad to let me be able to fiddle around on my cars, and he said that if I knew what I was doing then the pleasure would be his, because he was tired of paying for a mechanic." I explained as I sat down and J.J. followed. He nodded his head but didn't say anything else. We drove in silence to the hospital, all the while I was remembering what happened after Xavier had jumped on Apollo.

Flashback

"Xavier get off of Apollo. Now!" I commanded my pet and faithful companion. Xavier wasn't paying any attention to me at this point; he had already started to head towards the back gate, growling all the time. Apollo's hand had suddenly grabbed Xavier's collar and was pulling him back towards me. "Ariel, I think that you should get inside." Apollo said, as Xavier fought to get to the back gate. While Apollo held Xavier, I went inside and grabbed a handful of dog treats that Sasha had hidden from Xavier once he had found out where she had hidden them the first time. "Come here Xavier! I have a treat for you, but you only get if you come inside." I promised my pet. Suddenly Apollo fell on top of me, while Xavier ran into the house, and sat down in front of the fridge. When Apollo fell on top of me, he had thrown his arms out, not to stop his fall but to stop him from landing on me. I had only just realized, as soon as he had hit me, that his skin was warm, not the warm that you get when you've been curled under a blanket, but the warm that you catch coming off of the fire that you're sitting in front of. I fought the urge to burrow myself in his arms to warm my skin up, instead I struggled to breath, considering that, even though he had tried to stop himself from landing on me and hurting me, he was laying on top of me, cutting off my air supply. "Sorry he pulled me this way." Apollo apologized. "It's not your fault, but could you get off of me please, you're blocking my air supply." I gasped as I tried to suck in some air but failed, something that I've never done before, failed I mean, considering I need to breath something. "Oh I'm sorry. I wasn't trying to kill you I promise." Apollo promised as he stood up and let me breathe. I gulped in air trying not to sound stupid as I did it, but I couldn't help it, I couldn't get enough air, it was like he had busted one of my lungs, but I knew that he hadn't, I was almost impossible to hurt, something I didn't really like, but had to deal with.'

End Flashback


	4. Chapter 4

The next thing I knew, we were at the hospital and J.J. was asking if I was going to get out of the car, or if I was planning on staying in the car all afternoon. I couldn't answer; I already had a bad feeling in the pit of my stomach. I couldn't breathe; it was like my lungs wouldn't accept the air that I was pushing into them. "Ariel, you okay?" I vaguely heard J.J. ask me. I nodded my head because I couldn't talk. I had already lost both my parents. They had been taken from me. Just like everyone else had been. Apollo had left, Xavier with him, they had become too attached to stay to far away from each other and I knew that I would have lost them either way. My friend James had left me when we were children, and now my parents. Life just wasn't fair. Even my own life had been taken from me, and only Sasha had known why. I got out of my car slowly, accepting the inevitable. I walked slowly, as if I was walking through glue or even syrup. J.J. looked confused, yet he understood, at least that was what was showing through his eyes, the one part of the body that I was able to read without difficulties. We walked slowly towards the hospital entrance, J.J. holding me up and helping me walk. I had fallen down at least three times before he had picked me up and started to help me walk, holding on to the upper part of my arm. I tried to talk but every time I tried I wasn't able to breathe and it was scaring me.

By the time we were inside the hospital I was able to walk properly and talk. J.J. looked relived that I wasn't going to land on my face again. I walked up to the nurse's station, on the emergency floor. I took a deep breath knowing that it was still hard for me to talk. It was like I had just had a heart attack, not that I've ever experienced one before, but my grandpa had one when I was little and I remember him saying that he had troubles breathing, and his chest really hurt. The only part of that, which I had, was the trouble with breathing. "My name is Ariel Anderson. Someone called me about my parents being here. Can you tell me where I can find them?" I asked one of the nurses that had noticed me. "Ummm...I don't know… do you know their doctor?" the motherly nurse asked me. Her eyes were trying to tell me something, something I had already realized as I sat in the parking lot. "Oh, umm, I don't know who their doctor is. They have a different one than I do." I explained as a doctor walked our way. "Excuse me, Dr. Stewart, this is Ariel Anderson. She's here about her parents." The nurse told Dr. Stewart. Dr. Stewart must have been in his early twenties, he had short dark hair, brilliant blue eyes, which held nothing back. In an easy explanation, he was easier to read then anyone else that I had ever come across. "Miss Anderson, umm let me see. I'm afraid that your parents didn't make it. Your father lasted until a few moments ago. You must have just pulled into the parking lot. I'm sorry that they didn't make it." Dr. Stewart apologized as everything swayed slightly in front of me, before going black.

Flashback

'I was still gasping air, trying to get some oxygen into my lungs but no matter how hard I tried it was impossible. "Are you okay?" I heard Apollo ask as he lent me a hand, I took it and stood, swaying slightly, but breathing again. "I'm fine, now." I answered him, noticing that Xavier was still inside the house. I turned around quickly at the sound of a quiet click, like something was being locked in place. I vaguely saw something long and lethal sticking out of the bushes that hid the back gate and house from anyone's view. I spun quickly, so I was facing Apollo again, I heard another click, before I ran at Apollo, tackling him to my kitchen floor. "Don't move Xavier." I muttered to my pet before I realized that I must be hurting Apollo, considering my elbow was in his abdomen. "Sorry Apollo." I said as I crawled off of him and towards the door. At the same time I closed the door, bullets started to pelt the entire back yard, then my deck and finally the side of my house. "We've got to get away from the windows, and appliances. We've got to get to the shop!" I muttered as I pulled at Apollo's arm, he was still lying on the ground, where I had tackled him and my elbow was starting to hurt, considering I practically shoved it into his abdomen. "It's concrete and safe. Xavier get to the shop now!" I continued, commanding my dog. Xavier looked at me and Apollo hesitantly, before running towards the shop door. "Apollo you have to get down the hallway and into the shop. Xavier's waiting for you at the doorway. I'll be right behind you." I promised as I continued to pull at his arm. I was on my hands and knees before suddenly I was flat on my back, Apollo on top of my protecting me from the bullets that had now shattered the windows. Sasha was going to kill me when she got home. "You go first. I'll follow you." Apollo stated as he got off of me. "Fine but stay away from the rest of the windows." I said as I started towards the hallway, before realizing that I left my backpack in the kitchen. "Wait! My bag!" I said as I stood and ran back to the kitchen, grabbing my backpack and heading back down the hallway. Something grazed past my upper arm, but I barely felt it, I was too busy running back down the hallway, Apollo in front of me. "Come on get in!" Apollo yelled as we ran towards the shop door, which was already open. We ran into the shop and I locked the door behind us. I stood with my back against the door, taking deep breaths again, but this time I was able to breathe without any trouble.'

End Flashback


	5. Chapter 5

I caught Ariel as she fell, which at the same time the doctor called for a damp cloth. I picked Ariel up and carried her to a nearby chair. The doctor followed and placed the damp cloth on Ariel's forehead and the elderly nurse held some smelling salts underneath Ariel's nose. It only took a few minutes for Ariel to wake up again, and when she did, I caught a memory that she was trying her hardest not to remember. It involved both of us, when we were younger. It must have been before I had left with my dad, who used to drive the Anderson's around. I cringed inwardly as I relived the part of my past that I had refused to remember, even the parts that had the only images of my mother. My mom was and still is the Anderson's housekeeper, but she had always treated Ariel like she was her daughter. I remembered that when the Anderson's were away on a business trip, my mom, dad, and I would live in the Anderson home. Ariel and I were inseparable, at least until my dad decided that it was time to get a new job, a new life, in a new town. My mom had refused to leave, because of Ariel and my dad had understood completely, but he wanted a new life, somewhere, where he didn't have to drive anyone but us around, which included Ariel, although that wasn't much of a problem, she had known how to drive everything around the age of 10. She would be in the garage more often than not. I remember looking for her one day, looking in the garage of course, and I had found her fixing one of her dad's old cars, that no one could get to run. She had handed me the keys and told me to start the car, I hadn't protested but I did hesitate, which was when she had sighed and grabbed the keys from my hand and started the car, at the same time my dad had come and yelled at her for fiddling around with the cars, he yelled even more when she started the car and exclaimed that she had fixed it. Ariel had turned to my dad and yelled back, saying that she was the only one who knew more about that car, other than the makers, and could fix it properly. My dad had just stared at her as she walked out of the garage, her temper fuming. Suddenly Ariel opened her eyes and looked at me. "James?" she whispered, her body trembling as if she hadn't eaten anything in a few months or something. I didn't say anything; actually I didn't have time to reply because the doctor had started to ask her questions that she tried to answer but some of them she would stare at me, as if to get an answer.

Ariel POV

The first thing the doctor asked me after I was able to speak again was whether or not I was alright. Of course I answered with a nod of my head because I was afraid that if I spoke, I would burst into tears. "How many fingers am I holding up?" the doctor asked me suddenly, after asking me a dozen questions, mostly about what I remembered from before I had passed out. I just looked at J.J. trying to remember what happened after Apollo and I ran into the shop.

Flashback

'Apollo stood in front of the door, taking deep breathes, while I gave Xavier some food and his treat. I didn't feel any pain in my arm until I reached to grab the pillows off the top shelf in the closet. "Ow!" I hissed and Apollo came running over. "Why didn't you say something when you were hit?!" "Because we were to busy, running for our lives, plus it didn't start to hurt until now." I said stubbornly "Fine just let me clean it so it doesn't become infected. " Apollo said as he grabbed my arm, gently, and pulled me towards the sink. "This is almost another house in here. Why?" "My dad needed a place to stick all of the cars he was getting so my mom told him that he could have this huge shop for them, as long as it had rooms to keep everyone safe, for long periods of time, in case something extremely dangerous is happening around us… Ow! That hurts!" I yelled as I jerked my arm out of his grasp. "Sorry Ariel, I didn't mean to hurt you." Apollo apologized as I gave him my arm again. "Its alright, you didn't really, it was just the stuff your cleaning the wound with." I explained as he started to clean the wound on my arm again. "We'll have to leave for school in the morning." He acknowledged as he looked at the clock. "I know, I'll use one of my dad's cars, he won't mind. I'll show you a secret way out that way you can go home." I said as soon as he finished with my arm. "Not to seem rude, but I don't really like leaving you hear by yourself." Apollo said as I headed towards a small door. "Oh, well I can't come with you, but I have a spare bedroom and another bathroom, but no clothes that'll fit you, because it's all girl clothes… oh wait!" I said before running into the hall closet. I pulled out a box of clothes, and walked into the small living room with them. Xavier whined when he caught the scent on the box but he followed me anyway. "This box hasn't been opened in almost 5 and a half years, but everything should still be in the same condition it was in, when my mom packed it." I said as I opened the box and the scent on the clothes almost made me start to cry. "Whose clothes are those?" "They belonged to my brother, Daimon, before he died. He was 17 at the time." I explained as I pulled out a pair of Daimon's sweats, that he always wore to bed. "These should fit you; if not tie the drawstrings and your room in just down the hall and the first door on the left. Your bathroom is attached to your room, you can take the box with you, but just let me grab something first." I said as I pulled out Daimon's favourite hoodie. "Thanks for letting me stay, but you don't have to let me use your brother's clothes." Apollo said as he placed the sweats, that I had just handed him, back in the box. "Look Apollo, these clothes haven't been worn since Daimon died, they haven't seen sunlight, or daylight since they were put in this stupid box, so please just humour me and wear them." I told him as I pulled the hoodie over my head and let it fall in place over my body.'

End Flashback


	6. Chapter 6

I forced my mind to come back to the present, and to stay away from the past for a little bit. I must have looked like I was going to pass out again, as the doctor explained what happened to my parents, because J.J. asked whether I was going to be alright. I nodded my head ever so slightly, still afraid that if I opened my mouth I was either going to start balling or get sick, but she did anyway. "I should be going home, you have patients to ten to and J.J. has school to finish today." I said quietly as I tried to remember how Daimon's hoodie had calmed my nerves, after I had put it on. As if J.J. had heard me thinking about, he looked at me with a question in his eyes. "Of course, you can go home. Is there someone there who can take care of you/' "Our—I mean, my housekeeper she's not usually very busy during the day." I explained quickly. "Then you may go, just take it easy for a little while. I know how shock can affect a person." The doctor recommended. J.J. stood still holding my keys, and helped me to my feet. "Thank you.' I muttered as we walked outside. "Getting here didn't take long? How fast were you going J.J.?" I asked him as we got into the car. "What did you mean back there when you were thinking of a hoodie that calmed your nerves, as soon as you put it on? And who's Daimon?" J.J. asked, not looking at me. "How did you know that was what I was thinking about James?!" I asked, calling him by his full name. My friend was home, whether to stay or not, I didn't care I was just happy that he was here, although I was upset that I had been going to school with him for a year and a half without knowing that it was actually him. James just put, or started to put, the key in the ignition, but I stopped him as I heard something ticking. "Get out now!" I yelled as I shoved him out of the still open door, then myself seconds before the ticking stopped. The car blew up as soon as I landed on top of James. I knew that I had hurt him, because of where my knee landed, but he rolled on top of me and forced my head into his shoulder, that way I was safe from the blast and debris.

"James are you alright?" I whispered into his shoulder, at first James didn't move or say anything, and then he moved his arms so that they were wrapped around. 'Ariel?' James thought and I almost answered him out loud thought better of it. 'Yes, are you alright?' "You can hear my thoughts?" James asked out loud. I nodded my head before I heard people's foot steps, inside the hospital, running towards the parking lot, where James still lay on top of me. "Only when they're directed at me, but I can hear the woman in the Maternity ward nursing her baby and talking to her husband or boyfriend, I can't see any rings on their hands." I explained before James pulled my head away from his shoulder, to look at me. "You can see through walls?" "Only if I focus hard enough. Please don't say anything to anyone. The doctors are coming to see if we're alright, aren't they?" I asked him as I heard the footsteps speed up. "Yes. You books were in your car, and your car is completely gone." "The books were just copies remember, and I can always buy another Lamborghini Diablo, even though that one was a sweet sixteen gift from my dad and mom. Umm, James could you get off of me, you're blocking my air supply." I told James as doctors and nurses rushed towards us. James stood and helped my up, before we told the doctors that we were fine, and that we were nowhere near the car before it blew up. I pulled my phone out of my purse and called Sasha to come and get me, but in the minivan, not one of my dad's cars.

James POV

I knew something was wrong with Ariel, but I couldn't tell what it was, all I knew was that she was in her own little world, as if she was trying to remember someone's face, whom she hadn't seen in a very long time, but that was just a guess because of the off in space look in her eyes, but I could be wrong. Suddenly I was thrown into a memory that didn't belong to me.


	7. Chapter 7

Ariel POV

Flashback

"Ariel…are you up yet?" I heard Daimon ask me, which meant that mom and dad, had already left for their plane. "Yeah, you can have the bathroom; I've already finished in it." I muttered as I pulled out, yet, another t-shirt, to see which one would look better with my jeans. "Already, what time were you up?" "Umm, 2:30. I couldn't sleep, I had a funny feeling in my stomach, like the ones I usually get when someone's in trouble, so I got up, made myself something to eat, finished my homework and stuff like that. Around 6:45 I had my shower, so you can have it." I explained, to my older brother, through my bedroom door. Daimon had just turned 17 last week, so he was tempted to go out all the time, but mostly because mom and dad weren't home now, I figured he'd go out with his buddies and get hammered, but hopefully not driving himself home. "Oh alright, hey I'm not going to be home after school, will you be alright with Sasha? I know that its been harder to be around her, since James left." Daimon said as I walked out of my bedroom. "Yeah. I'll probably have tons of homework so I won't notice. Do me a favor tonight alright, don't get drunk and drive yourself home, or let any of your buddies drive you home, call me and I'll come and get you. I just don't want you to get hurt, or killed alright." I explained when he looked like he was about to say something, but instead he just nodded his head, knowing that when I asked him to be careful, I knew that something was going to happen soon, it was one of the unlucky gifts/ curses that I have. "Fine I'll be careful if you find a way to get over James leaving." Daimon told me before heading into the bathroom. "You bastard! You're bargaining with me! When you know that I'm right and you'll do something stupid, like driving you and your buddies' home, DRUNK!" I yelled as I threw one of our mother's porcelain vases at the door, which shattered the vases, and I knew that I was in trouble when my mom came home. The bathroom door opened an inch and that was when I threw my purse at Daimon's head. "OW! What was that for, you already broke a vase!" Daimon pointed out, opening the door and letting me see the cut on the side of his head, not from the vase or my purse. "Did you cut yourself shaving?" I asked, knowing that if he did, he could loose a lot of blood that way. "No." he said turning away from me and trying to close the door behind him, but I was already in the bathroom. "Damn it Daimon, you need to be careful when you're shaving." I told him as I grabbed the hand towel and cleaned his jaw line up, wiping all of the blood away and covering the cut, which I now realized wasn't from shaving. "Where did you get that?" I asked him, even though I knew that he wouldn't tell me. "Umm, don't worry about it, I don't have to tell you everything, little sis." "You had you're girl friend over last night, didn't you?" I accused him, knowing I was right. "What?! No of course not! What made you think that?" he asked me in surprise, not looking at me anymore. "Because of the size of the cut, scratch, or whatever you call it." I stated before he blushed, scarlet. "Well she didn't stay the night, we were just watching a movie, and that's it… I swear." Daimon promised before heading into his shower.

End Flashback

I realized that someone else was in my memory, the only memory without Sasha ribbing me about Daimon, and school. I had an idea that it was James, and that he didn't know how he got into my head, or how he was supposed to get out, so I ended the memory as fast as I could. "Who's Daimon, and why was he standing in your bathroom, with only a towel on?" James asked me, cautiously and I understood why he was being so cautious, the last time I had someone in my head, it didn't end very nicely. I bet that if I hadn't calmed my temper down, the guy would be dead today. "Ummm, you don't remember Daimon?" I asked my old friend. "I don't remember a lot of things from when we were kids." "Daimon is my brother, and he was getting ready for his shower." I said calmly, fighting to keep the tears from running down my face. "Daimon… oh I remember him now, if he cut himself, he would bleed like crazy right? How is he?" James asked me, clearly curious, about how Daimon was. "He's good I guess… I haven't seen him since the night of that memory…" I said, trying to figure out how to tell James that his idol had been killed in a car accident, just after the party he went to that night. "Really? Does he live around here, maybe we could stop and say hi to him." James asked excitedly. "Actually James, we could but I don't think you would want to, because…" I stopped as the tears overflowed, and ran down my face. "Ariel, what's wrong?" James asked as he hurried to my side. "Nothing really, its just well maybe you'd better see it because I don't think that I could explain it, without breaking down into tears." I told him before I pulled the very last memory I wanted to drag up today, of all days.


End file.
